Beehive



May 18,1926. 1,584,775

M. M. JONIAN BEEHIVE Filed May 21, 1925 v 5 a 1% via 2 0L711 afozzziz z 5 4 5 Patents lids? lgfzg' turner IVIEGORDICH M. JONIAN, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

BEEHIVE.

Application filed May 21, 1325. Serial No. 31,844.

This invention relates to bee hives and has for an object to provide an attachment for bee hives furnishing indirect ventilation for the hive during the winter months or such periods as the hive is ordinarily in substantially closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sliding bottom member for a bee hive which shall carry at the front of the hive a member serving as a bee exit and simultaneously affording auxiliary ventilating means providing ventilation for the hive by an indirect movement of the ventilating air.

A further object of theinvention is to pro- F vide a removable lJOlZtOHlfOi' a. bee hive with a ventilating attachment and improved means facilitating the removal and insertion of said bottom with the minimum disturbance to the colony.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel elements, units, combinations, interactions and functions as disclosed in the drawings together with mechanical. and functional equivalents thereof as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional bee hive with the ventilating attachment applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front view of the bee hive with the front of the ventilatingattachment removed as indicated by line 12- 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the ventilating attachment as indicated by line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure is a top plan view of the slide carrying the ventilating attachment.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the brood chamber showing the ledge upon the base board in side elevation.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

As shown in the drawings, a conventional bee hive is indicated at 10, it being understood that the specific type of hive shown is only illustrative and no limitation upon the present invention.

It is also known that in bee culture, especially in the colder regions, it is necessary to close up the bee hive during the cold maintaining the necessary warmth within the hive and that at the same time ventilation must be proany vided to maintain the colony in a properly healthy condition.

In the present invention, this ventilating is accomplished by means of a base 11 upon which the hive 10 sits for winter use and may continue to occupy said base during the summer if found desirable. Any approved means is provided for properly maintaining the relation of the hive and the base, as for instance the rabbet 12 in the upper edge of the base into which the hive l0 sits, although it is not intended that this particular means of connecting the hive and base shall in any way limit the present invention.

The base 11. is provided at a distance which will be normally below the lower edge of the hive 10 with a deck 13 so that, as normally mounted upon this deck, an interval indicated at Figure 3 by the arrow 1 1 provided between the front lower edge of the hive and the deck Upon this deck 13 a slide is employed which will cover the entire deck and, therefore, when in position, form the bottom of the hive. This slide is preferably laminated, and also by preference comprises a sheet 15 of metal with a covering of fabric 16 upon the surface next to the brood chamber. In some cases, a sheet 17 upon the under side may be added and constructed of convenient material, as for instance paper. cardboard or the like.

The deck is also provided with a sheet of material as for instance paper or cardboard 18 so that, when the composite slide is moved in or out of operative position upon the sheet 18, it produces very slight, if any, noise. It is well understood that in the winter treatment of bees, disturbance of the colony is to be avoided and any noise which serves to disturb the colony should be eliminated. For this purpose the slide is comosed of the several sheets of material as noted and the paper fabric or the fabric sheet next to the colony is preferably of some woven material and also preferably black or very dark to reduce the light within the brood chamber.

For the purpose of properly ventilating the hive by an indirect current of air, a portico 19 is built preferably upon the composite slide. lVithin this portico a partition 20 is erected, so positioned that air may enter the chamber as indicated by the arrows at Figure 3. The lower edge of this partition 20 is recessed as indicated at 21, being Cir merely a slot bee high so that it forms a bee exit to be used by the bees during such periods as they may emerge from the hive but offering but slight direct ingress for the air, the major portion of the ventilating air taking the indirect course and, therefore, not seriously affecting the colony while afiording sufiicient ventilation for supporting healthful conditions.

The opening at the front of the hive indicated by the arrow 1% and closed by the portico is of sufficient dimensions that, when the slide is removed, all dead bees or other debris upon the slide will be withdrawn, but this opening is effectively closed by the portico when in use.

The portico itself is also made adiustable as to the volume of ventilation. This is accomplished by a slide damper or its equivalent which engages against or approximately against the top of the partition 20 and, therefore, closes the passage over such portition according to the distance which said slide may be pushed in or withdrawn as indicated at Figures 1 and 2. It is ob vious that this slide may be adjustedaccording to the temperature so that in extremely cold weather the amount of air admitted to the hive may be less than in moderate weather.

It is also well known that, when bees emerge from the hive in winter, they often times become more or less inert from the cold and in a great number of instances, while they are able again to reach the hive and light upon the lighting board, they are not able to make the distance from the lighting board to the brood frames to get back into the warmth of the colony. The present invention, therefore, embodies a ledge 93 upon the slide or base board rising to within a very short distance of the brood frame Q-l; as indicated at Figure 5. The interval between this ledge and the brood frame is such as will permit the slide to be withdrawn and yet it is so near to the brood frame that a relatively inert bee may climb up on to this ledge and from the ledge to brood frame and therefore back into the warmth of the colony.

hat I claim to be new is:

1. An attachment for a bee hive presenting an opening in the front wall, said attachment comprising a base for supporting said hive, a slide slidably inserted into the base and under the hive and n'iaintaining said opening, and a portico carried by the slide proportioned to cover the opening, said portico being provided with a battle allording indirect ventilating introduction of air through said portico.

2. An attachment for a bee hive presenting an opening in its front wall. of base supporting said bee hive, a slide inserted in said base and under said hive, said slide presenting a fabric cover upon its upper side adjacent the chamber of the hive, and a ventilating portico carried by the slide coves-ing the opening in the front wall.

3. An attachment for a bee hive presenting an opening in the front wall, said attachment comprising a base supporting said hive and preserving said opening, a deck formed in said base, a noise reducing cover ing carried by said deck, a slide inserted into said base and bearing upon said covering, said slide being composed of a plurality of laminations, the upper stratum of which is a dark fabric, and a ventilating portico carried by said slide and covering the opening in said front wall.

l. An attachment for bee hives comprising a base supporting the hive at such an elevation as to provide an opening in the front, oi a slide properly proportioned to be inserted into the opening. a poi-tico covering the front opening and provided with a partition allording indirect ventilaiion through an opening to the hive and removable indepcndently of the base. and a closure for the ventilating passage adjustable as to volume.

5. An attachment for bee hives pr "seating an opening in the front wall, said :hment comprising a base for supporting said hive, a slide slid-ably inserted into the base and under the hive and maintaining said o ing, and a portico proportioned to cry-seithe opening, said portico being n'ovidcd with a bafile affording indirect ventilating introduction of air through said ponico and removable independently of the base, and a closure adjustably limiting the ventilating introduction of air.

In testimony whereol I aflix inv signature.

MEGORDICH M. JONIAN. 

